Movement Matters: The Missing Link in Today's Classrooms

Categories: Blog, K-12 Education, Original Strength, pressing reset, supermover Jan 24, 2025

As the leaders in teaching students how to think and become

You oversee curriculum, build lasting and meaningful relationships with students, and create environments where students can thrive. But in today’s educational landscape, one powerful, often overlooked tool can transform learning outcomes, improve behavior, and enhance mental health: movement.

In a world increasingly defined by screens, sedentary habits, and academic pressures, movement has taken a backseat in many schools.

Physical education programs have been reduced, recess times shortened, and classroom designs structured for stillness rather than activity. However, research and results make one thing clear: kids need to move for physical health and learning and development.

Why Movement Matters

Movement Facilitates Learning
When kids move, their brains light up. Movement activates the vestibular system, which is crucial for balance, focus, and coordination. It enhances neuroplasticity—the brain's ability to adapt and grow—which is directly tied to improved memory, comprehension, and academic performance. Movement also helps regulate the brain's ability to organize and comprehend important information coming in through various sensory systems.

Studies have shown that incorporating short movement breaks throughout the school day can improve test scores, increase classroom engagement, and make lessons more effective. Movement helps students retain information and process it faster.

Movement Improves Behavior
Every educator has dealt with fidgety students, distracted classrooms, and behavior disruptions. Movement can help. Schools can see fewer disruptions, more attentive learners, and calmer classrooms by allowing students to regulate their nervous systems (and satisfy their need to fidget or move).

Standing, marching, or deep breathing can regulate emotions, reduce stress, and foster self-control. Imagine a classroom where students know how to "Press RESET" when overwhelmed.

Movement Supports Mental Health
Mental health is one of the biggest challenges facing schools today. Anxiety, stress, and trauma are increasingly common in students. Movement has been proven to lower cortisol levels, alleviate anxiety, and build resilience. Still, movement in the classroom makes our brains function more efficiently by regulating the student's emotions.

[TAKEAWAY]: When schools prioritize movement, they create an environment that supports the whole child—physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Rethinking Movement in Schools

Movement doesn’t have to mean more PE classes, recess, or gym time (though those are important, too). It’s about integrating movement into the classroom’s everyday rhythm and creating a culture where movement is seen as a tool for learning and well-being—not just something reserved for recess.

Here are some simple, practical ideas to get started:

Movement Breaks: Encourage classroom teachers to include 2-5 minute movement breaks between lessons. These could include walking, stretching, like RESETS we teach here at Original Strength, or playful movements like bouncing, squatting, and dancing.
Brain-Boosting Activities: Incorporate activities that engage both sides of the brain, such as cross-crawls or pattern recognition games.
Flexible Seating: Provide standing desks, balance cushions, or wiggle stools to help kids stay engaged without being forced to sit still.
Morning RESET: Start the school day with a movement-based routine to "wake up" and prepare the brain and body for learning.
Active Lessons: Design lessons to include movement, such as solving math problems at different stations or acting out historical events.
Mid-Day Reset: When that 2 pm feeling hits after lunch and everyone is ready to go home, encourage a minute or two to RESET their brains with deep breathing and movement routines to re-energize.

How Original Strength Can Help

We have witnessed the profound impact of movement on lives. With our newly developed Educators' Guide to Pressing RESET, we provide movement-based strategies directly tailored for schools. This one-day training session, lasting four hours, empowers educators with essential tools and insights for seamlessly incorporating movement into their classrooms.

Participants will learn:

Methods that will provide you with more time to teach
How movement supports brain development and mental health.
Practical strategies to implement movement that’s easy for teachers and enjoyable for students.
Ways to overcome classroom challenges and make movement a natural part of the school day.
Explore simple movements to help students address trauma, stress, and anxiety.
Gain tools to teach students to self-regulate, build self-awareness, and cultivate self-control.

The Call to Action

School Administrators and Educators have the power to lead this change. By prioritizing movement, you’re not just improving grades and setting your classroom up for success —you’re shaping healthier, happier, and more resilient students.

If you’re ready to bring more movement into your classrooms, we invite you to join us for the Educators' Guide to Pressing RESET. We are happy to have you join us at an upcoming event, or we will come to you!

Together, we can build schools where students thrive academically and in every aspect of life.